Soul searching
by valkrys
Summary: Oneshot. Sandy's destiny becomes clearer. Beware of esoteric beliefs.


Discl.: I don't own anything related to the O.C. or Peter Gallagher**

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**Soul searching**

He had known that she was right.

Not that he had accepted it the first time she had told him. Or the second time. Well, make that the seventh time. After all, he was a New Yorker; from the Bronx, even.

So why had he listened, anyway?

He might have been a dreamer for all his life, appearing rather like a hippie than a cold New Yorker businessman. An open-minded man of the law-to-be. If such thing existed. But he could deny with all sincerity that he had never as much as _leaned_ towards superstition. He was a Jew. He may not have been living it openly anymore, but the basics were very well present.

Not that she had cared.

It had been a sunny afternoon, a day like any other, as the sun was always shining in California. Graduation had been around the corner. Only a few more weeks to go until he would take Kirsten, settle in a small house they could call their home and join Greenpeace or WWF to fight for the rights of nature.

So when this lady, probably in her thirties, long, brown hair, sporting a colorful skirt with a matching blue, sleeveless top, walked up to him, he hadn't been prepared for what she had to say.

"Hi! Sandy, right?"

"Yes, hi! Do I know you?"

Her laugh was sincere.

"I very much doubt that, people like you don't usually meet up with people like me."

"And what would people like you be?"

"Alternative. I know, you believe you ride on the same wave, but truth be told, it's hardly the same."

The confusion he felt must have spoken from his eyes. She gave another warm laugh before softly touching his arm.

"Don't worry, Sandford, I didn't come here to judge you. I was sent here for a reason."

Sent here? That could only mean one thing and immediately anger started clouding his vision.

"Caleb" he bit out.

She chuckled and shook her head in disbelief.

"Sandy, do you really believe Caleb would send someone like me to talk reason with you?"

Taking another look at her he had to agree, she was definitely not the kind of person Caleb would even as much as look at.

"Let's sit and talk, shall we?"

Looking back he had never been able to tell why he followed her, not questioned her any further but walked to the nearest bench and sat down, eager to listen what she had ready for him. There was some kind of connection, like he had known her in the past but when he tried to remember, he couldn't come up with any occasion they might have been introduced to each other.

Although he had to admit that the continuied consume of pot might have resulted in some holes in his memory.

When he met her deep blue eyes with his own, he was surprised to feel peace wash over him and he suddenly felt calm, all traces of the earlier nervousness erased from his system.

"Sandy, you may think that fighting for nature is the purest thing you can do. I am too concerned about how animals and the environment are treated these days. But this is not your … destiny, I know, such an overused word, but still, you are meant for a different career."

"I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about."

"You're an old soul, Sandy, blessed with a wisdom that can not be acquired in school. I know you sometimes feel out of place, maybe even agitated by the dullness and selfishness people behave like and treat other human beings. And still, you have never lost your calm with your fellow men, because you felt that they were young souls, still learning and bound to make mistakes."

Maybe for the first time in his life, Sandy was speechless. Something strange was going on here. He had to admit that what she said made sense to him. Scaringly much sense, actually. He had always had a way of connecting to people, no matter what age or position, had been able to talk easily to them.

The sole reason he had chosen to fight for nature was that he was not willing to put up with the archetype lawyer in one of the posh, heartless law firms with the single goal to make as much profit as possible.

He felt her eyes burning on him and realized that she was waiting for some kind of reaction to her revelation.

"Who are you?"

"That doesn't matter right now. I'm only a messenger, anyway. I wouldn't tell you this if I knew there was another way, but I'm certain that you're heading into the wrong direction. I have been told that the only voice of reason you would listen to is Kirsten. But you are the kind of person who wouldn't have appreciated hearing me speaking through her, right?"

If possible, Sandy was getting even more confused.

"You know Kirsten?"

"I know a lot about you, Sandy. It's important that you understand that I don't want to pressure you into anything, I only ask you to re-consider your career choice. Many people are counting on your support in the future."

Once again touching his arm slightly she got up, nodded at him and left.

xxxx

Standing in front of the impressive ports of the County Council, Sandy inhaled deeply.

Closing his eyes for a few seconds he thought back to the many discussions with Kirsten, the continued talks with Leandra and the insights to his self gathered from the meetings. Still, it had taken him long to make this one, tough career choice which had consequently led him here.

But now here he was, facing his first work day as a Public Defender.

He and Kirsten had settled into a house of Caleb, located in Newport Beach, the one place he had become to despise the moment he met the first Newpsies. But it was the price he had to pay for turning around his life, adjusting his plan to helping people instead the matters of the environment.

Of course it was poorly paid, so with great regret did he see Kirsten taking up a job at her father's company, but it was the only way they could afford a lifestyle Kirsten was accommodated to. Not that she had ever asked for it. But she was his wife now, his pregnant wife, to be precise, and he wanted the two most important people in his life to have everything they ever needed.

Gripping the briefcase tighter he took a step forward and reached for the doorknob. With one last thought to Leandra he opened the door, knowing that his destiny was waiting behind it.

xxxxx

_"Old souls often recognize other old souls unconsciously, sometimes even souls they met in an earlier life."_

Leandra's voice was a soft whisper in his mind when the shaggy haired boy in the blue jumpsuit was guided over to his table.

Meeting the boy's deep, blue gaze only confirmed what Sandy had known from the very first glimpse at Ryan.

Another part of his destiny had just been revealed.

**The End**

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Thoughts, anyone? 


End file.
